LISTENERS PERCEPTION OF OWNERSHIP INFLUENCE ON MEDIA CREDIBILITY (A STUDY OF RAVE FM OSOGBO)

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LISTENERS PERCEPTION OF OWNERSHIP INFLUENCE ON MEDIA CREDIBILITY (A STUDY OF RAVE FM OSOGBO)

ABSTRACT

This study examined Listeners perception of ownership influence on media credibility. A study of Rave FM osogbo. Survey method was adopted while Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill Model was used to determine the sample size of respondents selected from the population of the study. The study found that the average respondents said news and other programmes on Rave FM are deceitful and only pander to the whims and caprices of the owners. This is even more pronounced in government owned media.It recommended that owners of media organizations should detach their personality from media operations.

LISTENERS PERCEPTION OF OWNERSHIP INFLUENCE ON MEDIA CREDIBILITY (A STUDY OF RAVE FM OSOGBO)

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Mass media have been a major agent of socialization and tool for social change especially now that people depend on message from mass media. The potential power of the mass media help solve social problems. Television, radio and print advertising can entice people to buy a wide range of products and services, and newspaper messages and advertisement influence our ideas, values and behaviour (Ritchie 2015). According to conventional wisdom, it could be possible to use mass communications to get people to act on behalf of their own health and well-being or to do right things. Based on this assumption, since World War II, the federal, state and local governments, private foundations and other non-governmental organizations have sponsored hundreds of public service campaigns to promote social rather than commercial “goods” (DeJong and Winsten, 2010).Mass media in Nigeria has been use as a medium of communication that seeks to impact in the life of average Nigerians by influencing positively its social, cultural, economic, political and technological thinking. It also provides news and information about national issues (Casey 2016).  Aside this, it serves as a source of entertainment.  Mass media enhances cultural awareness and seek to preserve Nigeria’s rich culture. Through this medium artistic and intellectual creativity are developed. There for all programmes and coverages are Respondents oriented and guided by the nations’ social, political, moral, cultural, scientific, education and economic goals (Temakur 2013).

In contemporary times the media is use as a tool in disseminating information to the people. In Nigeria, there are three main types of media ownership namely, Government ownership, Private ownership and mixed ownership. In the case of government ownership, the media house is established, controlled and financed by the government, which the private ownership is when an individual or a group of persons establish, finance and control the media house. That of mixed ownership is when both government and private individuals are into some sort of partnership regarding establishing, financing and controlling the media house. There is no denying the fact that any media organization (whether government or privately owned) which desires to make the needed impact in the contemporary competitive media environment must pass through the acid test of audience trust and confidence. It is no longer enough to garbage in and out of the media any stuff and hope by so doing, a media organization is assured of successful media practice. The evolution of contemporary active audience and the prevalence of performance excesses on the part of individual media outfits have created a shift in the understanding of media credibility as a virtue which does not reside intrinsically in an object, person or piece of information, but assigned to a media house as a result of a judgment made by a subject (Savolain, 2007:5).

According to the Society of Professional Journalists (2004:1), “credibility refers to objective and subjective components of believability of a source or message… its components include trustworthiness and expertise defined from the user perspective”. Credibility, as the Society (2004) further notes, has links with media roles and motives, user demographics and values, prior attitude on issues and media use. It can weaken the validity and acceptability of a message. (Nworah, 2007:3).

It is the opinion of Lewis (2003:1) that corporate organizations (including the media) experience pressures from an increasing interest across the gamut of stakeholders, from consumers and employees to investors and legislators. This increasing interest, Lewis (2003:1) further notes, “is in the values and standards of the companies behind their products and brands”. In order to engender public trust and confidence, Lewis (2003) explains that putting these values and standards at the heart of business, not an adjunct to commercial activity, should be taken more seriously and be integrated further into the business vision and brand management. Herein, lies the essence of good management pattern. But the question is, can effective management style be divorced from the control of owner’s vision and interest? Hence, this research intends to examine Listeners perception of ownership influence on media credibility (A study of Rave FM osogbo).

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The media is regarded as the fourth estate of the realm, this can be said to be the role, bestowed on the press by the society and practitioners. The responsibility to inform and educate the public on the happening in the day to day activities of the government and the society is vested on the media.All over the world especially third world countries with less degree of free press, government, proprietors and influential individuals are perceived to manipulate the masses using broadcasting media. Broadcasting is volatile and its potentials in information dissemination, education enlightenment, political socialization and socio-cultural orientation. Most people form their opinion based on what they get from the media. This study therefore investigates Listeners perception of ownership influence on media credibility.

 

1.3 Research Questions

1)                What are the views and opinions of respondents on news reportage in Rave FM?

2)                Are  news and other programs on Rave FM dishonest and just serve the owners’ whims and aversion?

3)                Does ownership has an impact on certain of the programs on Rave FM?

4)                Do you consider  news reporting on the station’s programming is seen as impartial, unbiased, and fair?

1.4 Objectives of the Study

          This chapter intends to achieve the following:

1)                To examine the views and opinions of respondents on news reportage in Rave FM.

2)                2) To determine whether news and other programs on Rave FM are dishonest and just serve the owners’ whims and aversion.

3)                To determine whether ownership has an impact on certain of the programs on Rave FM.

4)                 To determine whether the news reporting on the station’s programming is seen as impartial, unbiased, and fair.

 

 

1.5 Significance of the Study

We would be able to determine people’s exposure to Rave FM, the extent to which they tune in to its programs, and their opinions regarding the use of the media as a tool for propaganda based on the study’s findings. By educating media owners about the tone of their propaganda messages distributed through the broadcast media, the study’s findings will also be useful to them. For students and other researchers who might want to perform research in a related topic, this study would also serve as a resource.

 

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study is on Listeners perception of ownership influence on media credibility. A study of Rave FM osogbo. The study covers residents of Ifelodun Local Government, Osun State.

LISTENERS PERCEPTION OF OWNERSHIP INFLUENCE ON MEDIA CREDIBILITY (A STUDY OF RAVE FM OSOGBO)

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